Cream Filled Strawberries Tested Recipe
& Video

Strawberries filled with Cream is a unique and delicious
way to enjoy
fresh strawberries. I came across this recipe while browsing through Mary Berry's "Desserts and
Confections" cookbook where she aptly describes how they look like little
"flowers". They make a really nice weeknight
dessert, and I also like to include them as a part of a buffet, where
finger food is most welcome.

This is such an easy dessert to make. Try to use strawberries
that taste as good as they look. You also want strawberries
that will sit flat so they don't wobble or tip over when
they are filled with the cream. So, if necessary, cut off the green stems,
or the bottom part of the strawberries, so they won't tip over. Of
course, first wash the strawberries and then, using a sharp knife, cut an
'X' into each strawberry, starting at the top of the strawberry and cutting
down almost to the bottom. (The cut should be such that the strawberry will
open up but don't cut all the way to the bottom of the strawberry or it
will completely fall apart.) Then gently, with your fingertips, spread each strawberry
apart to make "petals". Nest, make your cream filling and pipe (I like to use a
star tip) the cream into the center of each strawberry.

The cream filling is made with a mixture of mascarpone cheese
and heavy whipping cream, with a little sugar and vanilla extract added for
sweetness. Mascarpone, pronounced
mas-kahr-POH-nay, is
a soft unripened cheese that belongs to the cream cheese family. It
is a thick, buttery-rich, sweet and
velvety, ivory-colored cheese produced from cow's milk that has the
texture of clotted or sour cream. It is usually sold in a plastic 8 ounce
(227 gram) tub that
can be found either in specialty food stores or in the deli section of some
grocery stores. If you cannot
find it, you can subsitute with an equal amount of regular cream cheese. Heavy (whipping)
cream is a cream with a 35-40% butterfat content. Which means when whipped
the cream will hold stiff peaks. You can adjust the amount of sugar to
your personal taste. These cream filled strawberries are simply delicious
and they can be assembled a few hours in advance of serving. Just cover
and place in the refrigerator until serving time.

Cream Filled
Strawberries: Choose fresh strawberries that will sit flat. If you find the
strawberries are a little wobbly with the
stems left on, cut the green stems off so the strawberries will stand upright when placed on your serving tray.
Then, with a small
sharp knife, cut an "X" into each strawberry, starting at the top of
the strawberry and cutting down almost to the bottom of the
strawberry. (The cut should be such that the strawberry will open up but
not fall apart.) Gently, with your fingertips, spread each strawberry apart to
make "petals". Set aside while you make the cream filling.

In a medium
sized bowl, whip (with a wire whisk or an electric hand mixer) the mascarpone cheese,
heavy whipping cream, sugar, and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form. Spoon the
cream into a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip (I used a Wilton 1M tip). Starting
at the bottom of the strawberry, pipe the cream into each strawberry. If not serving immediately, cover,
and place in the refrigerator until serving time.

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